What You Must Consider When Planning Heroin Addiction Treatment

A heroin addiction is definitely one of the most dreaded kinds of addiction, the only solace being that there are various methods of treatment for it. However, it is not quite so easy to plan out a heroin addiction treatment. Here are some things that you need to keep in mind.

All Heroin Addiction Treatment Programs are not the Same

One of the primary things that you must know is that there is widespread difference in the ways treatment centers implement programs for removing a heroin dependency. Even if on the face of it these methods may seem to be the same, there are various subtle differences. Like, there may be different ways in which the detox treatment program is implemented. The mode in which the medications are provided may be different. The nursing care may be 24/7 in one center while it may be only for a few hours in some other center. Some center may be using conventional methods for treatment while some will use holistic approaches.

In this way, no two programs for heroin addiction will be the same. You need to check out the websites of the centers in thorough detail so that you know what you are getting. If you are planning the treatment for someone, you have to keep the requirements of that person in mind and then proceed. This will ensure that the program is suitable for the person’s needs.

Select the Right Medicinal Approach for the Treatment

You must know that there are two main kinds of medication therapies used for heroin addiction treatment. One of them uses methadone while the other uses buprenorphine. Methadone is a very old kind of medication which is still considered to be quite potent. It is an opioid like heroin itself, and as long as it is taken, the person does not feel the urge for the substance. But methadone needs to be provided in an inpatient setting only because it is habit forming also, and if the dosage is suddenly reduced or stopped completely, the patient will feel a withdrawal for methadone itself.

Buprenorphine is a newer method of heroin treatment and is widely employed in most treatment centers today. It works on the same principles that methadone does but it is not as habit forming as methadone is and hence it can be administered in a somewhat liberal manner. It can be used in outpatient treatment programs for heroin. However, there is some criticism on buprenorphine because it is a milder form of treatment.

You have to research on the options well and then see which medication will be suitable for the patient. The form the treatment will take and also the expenses will depend on what medication the treatment center will be using.

Check the Licenses and Other Qualifying Information for the Center

It is absolutely important that every addiction treatment center in the US must be licensed through the state they are operating in. But with heroin addiction treatment, the requirements are more stringent. Here it is necessary that the center has a special license for heroin addiction treatment. You have to check this information either on the website of the center or, if it is not mentioned there, by calling them up at the number on the website.

Additionally, it is wise to check whether the treatment providers are qualified or not. You may want to check their qualifications. It is ideal if they are qualified through a national organization like the American Society of Addiction Medicine. It is also a good idea to see their experience in dealing with heroin addiction treatment.

Next, check the accreditations that the treatment center has. If the center is accredited through a state or a national organization, it reflects positively on the genuineness of their programs. Check also what kind of affiliates they have. More affiliates mean they are a well-supported and well-networked program. In that case, if there is some difficulty, they can ask for help from each other.

Get in Touch with your Insurance Company

This is a point that most people forget to consider. But, insurance companies will not cover for all kinds of treatment. There are some centers that they will not consider. Your best bet is to speak to them at length before considering the treatment program and go ahead with it only if they are willing to provide the necessary cover. If they are not doing that, you can ask them to suggest some centers within their network and then you can see whether you would wish to use them.

To read more informative articles like this one on heroin addiction treatment, visit http://www.treatment-addiction.org.